1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general terms to a process for coating metal surfaces, and in particular the invention relates to a process for coating metal surfaces with vitreous layers and to a substrate having a metal surface and a vitreous coating producible in accordance with the process.
2. Description of Related Art
Vitreous coatings have, inter alia, very good passivation and encapsulation properties. For example, glasses offer excellent protection against water, water vapor and in particular also against aggressive substances, such as acids and bases.
Vitreous layers for protecting metallic surfaces have long been known in the form of enamel. During enameling, an inorganic, solvent-free glass mixture is applied to the metal substrate and then fused.
However, a process of this type cannot deposit thin glass layers or glass layers with an accurately defined thickness on metallic substrates. Moreover, a process of this type which remelts a preliminary coating is suitable only for substrates which are sufficiently thermally stable. Moreover, it is therefore also not possible to produce an accurately structured vitreous layer on a substrate.